Thursday, March 29, 2012

Is there anything more magnificent than Texas in the springtime? Each day, there’s something new to see as the state awakens and begins to bloom.

Like many homesick Texans, I don’t get home in the spring nearly often enough. This year, however, I was fortunate to be there for a conference. While my intent was to work, it was hard to stay focused when there was so much natural beauty all around.

My trip began with a break in Belton for this:

Then I headed to my grandma’s farm and saw this:

Along the way, I stopped in West for this:

And when I arrived at the farm, I was greeted by this:

There was a heavy storm that night, but afterwards my grandma and I saw this:

The next day I drove to Central Texas for the conference. While there, one morning I woke up early and saw this:

looloolooweez--I agree, you can never get tired of seeing bluebonnets.

Aarti--While they don't have bluebonnets in LA, a friend tells me she saw something similar up near Sacramento.

Jenn--Yep, they're the best!

Shrie--YES indeed!

Anon and Carol--The place in Belton is Miller's Smokehouse. They make a fine brisket. This dish is called Fire in the Bowl, and it's a brisket, sausage, pulled pork, beans, jalapeños and Fritos. A barbecue Frito pie!

Anon--So do I!

Janet--It's indeed a fine year. One man told me he hadn't seen so many in 25 years!

I love this post! My Mom just sent me photos of bluebonnets by the house! So lovely. I adore West! Went to college in Baylor, and we made the 15 minute drive for kolaches almost any chance we got. They are fine food with which to study for final exams.

I have to admit, I've never thought of the geography of Texas as much more than cities with skyscrapers and oil refineries and desert, having never had the opportunity to visit there. Thanks for the eye-opening pics!

Love the pictures Lisa . We usually go up to Brenham for the flowers..and the mandatory stop at Blue Bell..and then over to Chappel Hill for sausasge...My husband and I are addicted to their jap. sausage, especially in red beans and rice.

Ah! That last queso shot is unreal! In fact, for lunch I'm going to go on over to Las Palapas and insist that they plop all that stuff onto some queso for me. Yum! We have a field in our front yard, and it is solid Indian Paintbrushes. The sunsets of late have been particularly pink-ish/purple, and the contrast is stunning.

TEXAS! Thank you for sharing the pictures. I wake up every morning to gray here in Seattle and then I talk to my mom who reminds me that the bluebonnets are out and it's 70 degrees back home. (this obviously helps stave my homesickness... except not at all.)As always, I love having a moment parusing your blog. Thank you :)

Where oh where is that queso from? I hope you haven't answered that question yet. I read the comments but might have missed it. I've only had queso like that in Cuero, TX. A little far from my home in DFW.

I miss bluebonnets! When I was transplanted to Sacramento for 10 years, I had to make do with regular light blue or purple 'Lupines'. In Germany, I've found them in pink, lavender and white varieties. BUT: nothing compares to those native Texan deep blue blossoms.

I was just there last week (native Texan, but I live in Nashville now)! I could not believe my trip to help family was perfectly timed by the Lord so that I could see the bluebonnets. And I was there for the storm, too. Amazing beauty. Yeah, God!

What wonderful pictures and what a wonderful season for the bluebonnets! Thank you for sharing them! I took my fair share when my husband and I flew back home to Houston in mid-March from Missouri. We traveled out 290 and stayed in Fredricksburg, then Austin (so much fun!). Your website has helped my sanity during my Midwestern stay...

Arrrrrgh! I was already hungry but now I'm homesick! My mom has been emailing me and mentioning the bluebonnets in every phone call lately. Brides have their portraits taken in my parents front yard. I'm in NC and the dogwoods are pretty but I miss bluebonnets. My next trip home (Austin/Marble Falls) isn't until May so I'm going to miss out.

Wow..Lovely pictures of the field of flowers. (You plate of food looks great too..).. Tried your quick chili this weekend and it was delicious...I never used dried peppers before, so it was great learning the use of them. Your book is soooo pretty too..Hubby covered it so it will stay nice....I think my next recipe will be the Dr. Pepper ribs!

It really is an incredible year for wildflowers. Here in the Brenham/Washington County area we are just puffed up with pride, especially after suffering through the horrible 2011 drought. The weather is perfect - right now - hope it stays "springy" for our Golden Roos weekend in May! - Go Hoppers!!

I was in south central Texas as well the past week. Loved seeing all the wildflowers and the morning dew that dropped every morning. I enjoyed eating fried catfish from Clear Springs Restaurant in Clear Springs near New Braunfels. Sweet Dreams bakery found me eating a blueberry/cream cheese kolache. A visit to Granzin's Meat Market and a purchase of rings of dried sausage and Naegelin's Bakery - apricot kolaches. Oh My!!

Beautiful blue bonnets! We don't get those up here in West Texas unfortunately. Love the spring weather though. It's been like summer for the past week and I enjoyed the heck out of my lunch outside our Chipotle today: fresh tacos.

The only thing you missed was the Bluebell Ice Cream! I am a native Texan living in China. The only thing I miss more than the Tex-Mex and scenery is the People and riding my motorcycle through the countryside in Spring (too damn hot in the summer!) Ya'll take care now, ya hear!

Thanks for the pics - I miss bluebonnets and Tex-Mex and good barbecue. I used to live in Bertram, Texas where the bluebonnets were abundant. Live in East Tennessee now where we have redbuds and dogwood blooming now.

I just came across your site and love it! Thanks for making me feel at home. I was born and raised in Texas, Salado is my hometown, but have been living in Las Vegas NV for 16 years. I don't get back there as much as I would like and miss terribly , so thanks again for putting a big ol' Texas grin on my face this morning. :-)

My wife gave me your cookbook for Xmas and I love it. I loved it even more when I saw your mention of chicken livers. We took my wife's parents with us and spent the weekend around the Brenham area looking at wildflowers. They were beautiful. Thanks for the great blog and cookbook. I'm also a many generationed Texican as well.

I so enjoy your blog. I'm a true homesick Texan. From Fort Worth living in the Seattle area. How I miss the big blue skies, bluebonnets, and of course the food. Thank you so much for your lovely photos.

Spring is always the time of year I miss Texas the most - the Houston rodeo, the wildflowers, the Azalea trail! Springtime in the Alps is beautiful, too, but nothing beats home. I think my mom sends me pictures of the bluebonnets on their property every year. Sadly, I haven't been back to Texas in the spring for 12 years. Thanks for your post!

I moved to the Texas Panhandle (from DFW) 6 years ago, and I haven't seen a single bluebonnet during that entire time. I miss bluebonnets. :( On the bright side, I never saw Indian Paintbrush before I moved here!

The bluebonnets have been so spectacular this year. And we have wildflowers growing in our new backyard too - larkspur is popping up, along with others. Next year we'll sow some bluebonnet seeds along the road and see what happens.

beautiful pics...I love driving and seeing all the wildflowers each day in spring. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE kolaches. I always stop at the Czech Stop in West when I drive through to get my share of great kolaches and sausage.

You've just made me so homesick, I could cry. Your pictures of the bluebonnets and the food(!)...uggh, tugs at my heart. I'm here in Minnesota and although it's a lovely day here today, it ain't Texas. Hope you had a big ole Dr Pepper with all of those meals and an even bigger scoop of Blue Bell!

My Daddy was a Texan. Two of my 3 sons have become Texans by choice. My youngest grandson is a native-born Texan, but I introduced them to Texas and to your (and Robb Walsh's) enchiladas and chili gravy and all our lives are greatly improved. I looked for a chili gravy recipe for 40 years, found yours 2 years ago and Hubs & I are addicted. I bow to the master (mistress, if you prefer) of Tex-Mex and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. He's 71, I'm 69, and we only started to live when I got the recipe. We can die happy now.

Thank you so much for this post! It's Easter and I'm so homesick, so it's nice to see some Texas wildflowers. I moved away last summer, and I miss bluebonnets, Lone Star, dance halls, CLEAN rivers, confetti eggs, and mostly my big family.

Another Texpatriate living in the PNW here. Thank you for the spring wildflower trip. I heard the bluebonnets were spectacular this year, and it looks like the Indian paintbrush was just starting up. I warms my heart (and my tummy) to see your pics. Gracias!

I've moved away from Texas several times, but always come back. My last return landed me in Temple for the last 10 years so I was pleased to see the pic from Belton Miller BBQ, didn't even know it existed. Read your post on Tuesday and went there for lunch on Wednesday, delicious. Thanks for showing me a new place in my own backyard.

That barbecue you got in Belton looks so similar to the Gut Packs that they serve at Vitek's in Waco! Thanks so much for sharing the pictures--I live in Georgia now where it is very pretty in the Spring, but nothing will ever compare to bluebonnet season in Texas!

This year is a fabulous year for wildflowers - not just bluebonnets but they are all popping up in mass! It's lovely to drive around our great state this time of year. Looks like you got your fill of all the best! While on a girls weekend trip, last weekend, we spent some time perusing your cookbook! Enjoyed it too.

I lived in Texas for over 40 years and recently moved to Albuquerque, NM. I really miss the bluebonnet season so it was great to see your photos (I also love the cheese kolaches photo). If you are ever in ABQ, shoot us an email. We would love to show you around!

You've never had kolaches like the ones from the Kolache Factory in Houston. Their bacon & cheese kolache is the best thing you will put in your mouth. I am from Houston but live in Dallas, I had them over-nighted once for a company breakfast and even the guys who said nothing could compete with West kolaches, were sold.